NATCHEZ — Turkey hunting season began this weekend for youth hunters and the adults will be able to go for the gobblers next week, so it’s time for hunters to gather up the supplies that will enable them to bag a big bird.

Turkey hunters have been purchasing supplies at sporting goods stores such as Sports Center in Natchez to prepare for the big hunt.

Sports Center gun salesman Vernon Smith said there are a few new items this year that will help a hunter in their pursuit of a turkey.

The first new item is a new boy turkey decoy that will sway in the wind and really attracts turkeys to it with a vengeance, Smith said.

“The big gobblers seem to hate it,” Smith said. “They attack it and tear it up.”

And while that might be a bad thing for the decoy, it’s a very good thing for the hunter who wants Thanksgiving dinner to come a little early.

And if that decoy was put a little farther away than normal, a new shotgun shell will be able to make up for the extra distance.

A shotgun shell called Nitro is capable of killing a turkey from 70 yards, as opposed to normal shells that only kill turkeys from about 40 yards,” Smith said.

“It’s a little more expensive, but it works well,” Smith said about the new shotgun shells.

While decoys and shotgun shells are a must, so are camouflage and turkey calls.

There are three kinds of turkey calls that are available to hunters, a mouth call, slate call and box call.

All three work well and hunters usually want to have them all on hand, Smith said.

New camouflage that is available will also make it harder for the turkey to spot a hunter out in the woods or a field.

“The camo is woven in together like a pile of brush,” Smith said. “The turkeys won’t be able to tell you from a tree.”

Other popular items for sale at area sporting goods stores are turkey guns.

In addition to Sports Center, hunting supplies may be purchased at Bowie Outfitters, Cathy’s Cowboy Corrall and Sports Additions in Natchez, Guice Sporting Goods in Ferriday and Hometown Sports in Vidalia.